Everyone loves the convenience of wirelesses technology, and now that technology may soon come to parking lots and garages near you. Delphi and WiTricity have teamed up to develop and market a wireless charging system for electric vehicles which is aimed at making vehicle charging even easier.
The system requires a vehicle to be aligned over a 3,300 watt pad that’s about the size of a stop sign. The pad will then recharge the vehicle without the need for a plug, and it will be activated the moment a vehicle is aligned with the charging pad underneath.
“This is groundbreaking technology that could enable automotive manufacturers to integrate wireless charging directly into the design of their hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Randy Sumner, director, global hybrid vehicle development, Delphi Packard Electrical/Electronic Architecture. “Delphi’s expertise in global engineering, validation and manufacturing coupled with WiTricity’s patented wireless energy transfer technology uniquely positions us to make wireless charging of electric vehicles a reality.”
According to Delphi, this new system will be capable of recharging a vehicle at a rate comparable to most home-based chargers, so expect between two to eight hours depending on the vehicle’s battery size.
“Delphi can bridge the gap between the laboratory and the highway by providing E/E systems integration expertise, a global manufacturing and engineering footprint and high-voltage, high-power components specifically engineered for the hybrid and electric vehicles of today and tomorrow,” Sumner said.
In the long term, Delphi hopes to see these pads in homes and embedded in company parking lots. Unfortunately, EVs will require a power capture resonator underneath, which will need to be added by automakers or via an aftermarket installation. That poses one of the biggest hurdles to the adoption of this unique charging alternative.
In addition to convenience, automakers will also benefit from wireless electricity. This system could ultimately give automakers greater freedom to design vehicles without such boxy batteries or power supplies. If the system gets traction, EVs are also likely to be equipped to handle plug-in and wireless charging. That will give consumers more options to keep their EVs moving.
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